In the Jambu continent on the sides of the mountain
Meru, there is a mountain called Samabhutala (level-surfaced). In its 7200
miles territory there are clusters of planets.

Beyond it
there are crores of Yojanas, and going beyond them, there are dwellings of
gods like Saudharma and Isana.

Beyond this there is the
tenth heaven which is known as Pranata. In this heaven the age limit is
upto twenty Sagaropama.

After having enjoyed the twenty
year's Sagaropama life in the heaven Lord Parsvanatha's soul deviated from
the heavenly life.

There is a large continent named
Jambudvipa having the area of one lakh yojanas (yojana = smiles). Its
circumference has been typically described in scriptures which I am going
to say now.

There was a city named Varanasi looking like
Indra's city in the celebrated Bharata (the country of Bharatas) abounding
in full riches.

In that city, the danda (flag-rod) was
only on the top of the palace ! and no danda (punishment) for people.
There were thieves who stole the mind of the learned but there were no
thieves who stole wealth of others.

How can the city
Varanasi be described where the Sun-disc shines as a pot on the top of the
palace and the beautiful Ganga the river of heaven shines in place of the
fluttering flag.

In Varanasi the word like injustice was
found only in dictionaries, but was no where among the people . There were
donors in abundance, but beggars were very few.

There
ruled an emperor-like king Asvasena who was being followed by hosts of
kings and who was deeply engrossed in protecting his people.

King Asvasena's crown-queen named Vama was attractive like Rati (the wife
of cupid), and charming like Indrani (the wife of Indra) endowed with
exuberant beauty, surpassing the heavenly damsel Tilottama, the most
beautiful among all the ladies with curved brows pleasing with a mass of
virtues and had a noble heart.

From her womb Lord Sri
Parsvanatha was born. In that night Vamadevi saw fourteen dreams.

In the first dream, Vamadevi saw the elephant, in the 2nd auspicious ox,
in the 3rd the lion with the mane, Mahalaksmi in the 4th, flower garland
in the 5th, the moon in the 6th, Sun in the 7th and the flag in the 8th
dream.

Vamadevi saw an auspicious pitcher in the ninth
dream, in the tenth a lake full of lotuses, in the eleventh ocean of milk,
in the twelth dream a temple, in the thirteenth a heap of jems, and fire
without smoke in the fourteenth the dream. On seeing these fourteen dreams
Vamadevi got up from dream- state.

On having seen the
dreams Vamadevi was pleased. She began to recall the dreams repeatedly and
started uttering the names of clan-goddesses of Jinesvara. Then she rose
from there (the bed) and slowly approached the king Asvasen.

Then the queen Vamadevi aroused king Asvasena with sweet-speech from his
sleep. The king also twisted his limbs out of inertia and arose from
sleep.

King Asvasena asked, "Oh Queen, why have you come
here now ?" Vamadevi answered, "Your Majesty ! I saw fourteen dreams like
that of the elephant and other while I was asleep in my palace - chamber.
Please tell me the indication of it.

King Asvasena said,
"Oh innocent queen, you have seen much auspicious dreams. So your (new
born) son will become a monarch or a tranquil ascetic."

"You are right," said Vamadevi to her righteous husband king ASvasena,
accepted his words and returned to her chamber.

Next
morning were called the experts of the dream - indication who gave the
same reply. The good have unanimuity in thinking.

Vamadevi did not take extremely astringent, hot, pungent and cold food for
protection of her baby to be born.

Gradually the nine
months passed and when all the planets were in high positions, on the
tenth day of the bright Pausa month of the Hemanta season Vamadevi gave
birth to the illustrious son Lord Parsvanatha, whose lips were ruddy like
the Bimba fruit, face like the moon, complexion like a blue lotus, who was
soft like the inner stuff of a Banana, who was pleasingly fit to be
respected by gods, demons and people and endowed with all good bodily
marks.

Then immediately sixty four Devendras gathered
together with devotion to offer holy bathing to the Lord on his birth.

Sixty four Devendras bowed to Lord Parsvanatha, praised hymns and carrying
him in their hands came over to the mountain Meru.

Then
(sixty four) Indras like Saudharma seated Lord Parsvanatha on the top of
mount Meru and celebrated his birth day.

Devendras after
having celibrated the birthday of Lord Parsvanatha and considering
themselves blessed returned.

Then the gods showered
thirty two crores of silver and golden coins and thirty two crores gems in
the palace of King Asvasena.

Then Lord Parsvanatha being
nourished by five foster mothers began to grow like the moon of the second
day of the bright fortnight.

Lord Parsvanatha gradually
attained youth and the father got him married with the princess Prabhavati.

One day out side the city, an ascetic named Kamatha arrived, who was a
fool and hypocrite performing ignorantly austerity of the Five Fires
bearing pains.

At that time Lord Parsvanatha, sitting in
a balcony, asked his servants,"O Servants, Where are the citizens going
today ?"

The servants replied, O best prince, an ascetic
named Kamatha has come today and these people are going there to pay him
obeisance.

Lord Parsvanatha too riding on his elephant
which was like a rival to the celestial elephant Airavata with an excuse
of sporting, came over immediately to that ascetic.

To
the ascetic practising austerities ignorantly, Lord Parsvanatha told, "You
indeed are practising austerity without knowing and that too, without
compassion."

He said, in turn, to Parsvanatha," You are
Prince and you are expert in sporting with horses but not in our austeric
tendencies.

Immediately then by the order of Lord
Parsvanatha, his servant cut wood into two with the axe and brought out
from the piece of wood a unburnt snake alive.

Then the
people hated the hypocrite ascetic and praised Lord Parsvanatha
repeatedly.

Several years later Lord Parsvanatha
pondered over the proper time, distributed alms (for one year) and took
initiation.

Once upon a time Lord Parsvanatha himself
was above physical conscence with his eyes closed in meditation, at that
time the ascetic Kamatha, who had died in the wicked meditation and was
born as a god name Meghamali, created hurdles (in Lord Parsvanatha's
meditation), but Lord Parsvanatha did not deviate even a little.

Lord Parsvanatha, on having attained the absolute knowledge and having
lived for a hundred years attained the absolution.